2024 Staff Picks for Adults

We couldn’t let this year come to a close without sharing our 2024 Staff Picks. Find new reads for your TBR (to-be-read) pile or to gift to someone special this holiday season. From feel-good romances to out-of-this-world science fiction, staff read across a wide range of genres and interests. We hope this list provides a little something for everyone as you start setting reading goals for the New Year.

Be sure to also check out our Staff Picks lists for Teens and Kids to find fresh reads for the younger readers in your life. And if you’re looking for more recommendations in 2025, subscribe to one of our genre-specific newsletters, browse thousands of read-alikes and mood-inspired recommendations on Novelist, or try our My Next Read service to receive a custom list of titles from one of our librarians.

ADULT FICTION

• A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration
• A Marvelous Light  by Freya Marske — recommended by Ben O. at Gayton
  • This is a great period fantasy and it delivers on every level: interesting & diverse characters with great arcs, intriguing magic system, a thrilling mystery to solve, and a slow budding romance with just the right amount of spiciness. Plus, it is the first in a series worth finishing. 
• A People's History of Heaven  by Mathangi Subramanian – recommended by Aparna R. at Tuckahoe
  • This is a simple, uplifting, and feel good story about a bunch of teen girls growing up in a dreary impoverished neighborhood with supportive and strong female guardians! 
• The Appeal by Janice Hallett – recommended by Victoria H. at Varina
  • A quirky, fun mystery that follows a small community theater group told through a series of emails and text messages. 

• A Ruse of Shadows by Sherry Thomas – recommended by Hannah T. at Fairfield
  • This one is full of subtle twists and layers upon layers of hidden agendas.
• Before I Let Go by Kennedy Ryan – recommended by Mary S. at Tuckahoe
• Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees by Patrick Horvath – recommended by Chris M. at Sandston
  • The beautifully adorable illustrations make this feel like Richard Scarry wrote a gory horror novel about two serial killers living in Busytown.
• Biography of X  by Catherine Lacey – recommended by Lindsey H. at Libbie Mill
  • I love literary fiction with compelling characters and plot that runs on the central mystery of “what is going onhere?!” Biography of Xoffers this in spades. It’s a plain good story even as it explores bigger themes about the construction of self, human connection, history, secrecy, art, and charisma. I remember getting home from work and dropping everything to get back to it, and if it sounds up your alley, the Libbie Mill LGBTQIA+ Book Discussion will be discussing it on Tuesday January 7th.
• The Blue Trunk by Ann E. Lowry – recommended by John M. at Twin Hickory
  • Lowry’s debut novel tells the story of Rachel Jackson, a politician's wife, who finds herself digging into her great-great-aunt Marit's mysterious past, thanks to an old blue trunk full of strange items. As she uncovers Marit's story, Rachel starts seeing connections to her own life and finds the courage to deal with her struggles. The story flips between Rachel's present and Marit's past, revealing secrets and parallels that help both women break free from their confines. This book was a surprise gem for its relatable characters and engaging story. It is packed with humor, social insights, and surprising twists that keep the reader absorbed until the very end.
• The Books of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin – recommended by Jason T. at Fairfield
  • More than just a saga about magic, wizards, and dragons, LeGuin takes the reader by a steady hand to explore the meaning of power in this omnibus edition.
• Buried Deep and Other Stories by Naomi Novik – recommended by Aimee H. at Glen Allen
• Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky – recommended by Genevieve F. at North Park
  • Love the book. It's the first in an epic trilogy about mankind at various points in the future and how humans terraform another planet for the continuation of our species right before Earth is destroyed. By the time they are able to return to it, this terraformed planet has instead evolved new inhabitants with their own cultures, intelligences, religions and vices who will fight for their right to master it. It's fairly fast-paced, very detailed, and has a level of weirdness that is compelling. It's essentially multiple stories of civilization, war, and technology written parallel to each other until the two worlds collide. 
• The Cinnamon Bun Bookstore by Laurie Gilmore – recommended by Beth C. at Fairfield
  • A mix of sweet & spicy just in time for the holidays.
• Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver – recommended by Tracey B. at Fairfield
• Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett – recommended by Alexis F. at Libbie Mill
• The End of Drum-Time by Hanna Pylvainen – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen
  • A tale about reindeer herders, national borders, and the introduction of Christianity in the far north of Scandinavia.
• The Excitements: A Novel by CJ Wray – recommended by Kareemah H. at Varina
  • Arriving in Paris to receive the Légion d'honneur for their part in the liberation of France, the 90-something Williamson sisters, Britain's most treasured World War II veterans, use this opportunity to settle scores, avenge lost friends and pull off one last, daring heist before their illustrious careers are over.
• Fresh Water for Flowers by Valérie Perrin – recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
  • A rich, beautifully descriptive tale of a woman cemetery caretaker in Bourgogne, France. Despite her unhappy childhood and early years, Violette Toussaint has made a peaceful, contented life for herself.
• I'm Thinking of Ending Things by Iain Reid – recommended by Ray K. at Fairfield
  • A nervous, slow burn kind of horror with a twist at the end. 
• The Incredible Winston Browne by Sean Dietrich – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
  • This is the story of a small-town sheriff in 1950s Florida who turns bad health news for himself into little positive impacts all throughout his community. Dietrich’s tale is inspirational, funny, charming, emotional, impactful, and full of memorable quotes and wisdom that stays with you. Our book clubs really enjoyed it. The word “incredible” is apt here.
• Intermezzo by Sally Rooney – recommended by Jillian O. at Libbie Mill
• Into the Uncut Grass by Trevor Noah – recommended by Julie S. at Glen Allen
• I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman – recommended by Barbra S. at North Park
  • I don't know how I never heard of this classic science fiction masterpiece until this year, but while bleak, the writing is just spare enough to convey the right mood and just rich enough to be beautiful. I was completely drawn in and read this novella in one sitting.
• James by Percival Everett – recommended by Fritz D. at Sandston and Rachel P. at Tuckahoe
• The Lies That Bind by Emily Giffin – recommended by Bridget O. at Gayton
• The Little Liar by Mitch Albom – recommended by Courtney M. at North Park
• Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke – recommended by Bethany W. at Twin Hickory
• The Mighty Red by Louise Erdrich – recommended by Bunny H. at Twin Hickory
• Mouthful of Birds by Samanta Schweblin – recommended by Laren V. at Libbie Mill
• Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher – recommended by Gina F. at Gayton
• The Night Ends with Fire by K.X. Song – recommended by Ashby C. at Gayton
• Olga Dies Dreaming by Xóchitl González – recommended by Logan F. at Gayton
• Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young – recommended by Marie R. at Gayton and Alicia A. at Library Administration
  • Funny, heartfelt, and clever, this is a romance about two people working through their own challenges who come together and become even better together. – Alicia A.
• Parable of the Talents by Octavia Butler – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
  • People are quick to praise the first book of this duology (Parable of the Sower), and though this praise is mightily justified, the sequel deserves recognition too. With engrossing prose, chilling parallels to modern society, and wisdom beyond measure, this book is a stellar piece of literature from one of the greatest Black writers in the world.
• Pet Sematary by Stephen King – recommended by Genevieve H. at Gayton
• Roaming by Jillian Tamaki and Mariko Tamaki – recommended by Amanda S. at Library Administration
• The Searcher by Tana French - recommended by Jamie C. at Library Administration
• The Spare Room by Andrea Bartz – recommended by Honor Z. at North Park
• Steeped to Death by Gretchen Rue – recommended by Erica T. at Glen Allen
• The Sun Sets in Singapore by Kehinde Fadipe –recommended by Kathryn K. at Tuckahoe
• Sword Catcher by Cassandra Clare – recommended by Trisha K. at Fairfield
  • As a die-hard enthusiast of Clare's YA works, I was instantly hooked on this foray into adult high fantasy. 
• The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett – recommended by Savannah C. at Library Administration
• The Teacher by Freida McFadden – recommended by Anthony P. at Library Administration
  • I enjoyed this book because the story grabs you from the start, and in typical Frieda McFadden style, has mind-blowing plot twists all the way through the book until the final twist at the end.
• The Teller of Small Fortunes by Julie Leong – recommended by Rachel S. at Fairfield
• Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout – recommended by Barbara J. at Libbie Mill
  • I love how small-town life in Maine becomes universal, thanks to Strout’s characters. I find their human frailty, dry wit, and dire need for intimacy compelling.  Revisiting Olive Kitteridge and Lucy Barton in the same novel is also fun.
• These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs – recommended by Savannah T. at North Park
  • A fast-paced sci-fi novel in a fleshed-out world with a "cat and mouse" mystery dynamic that had me at the edge of my seat! I have just started reading the second book that was just released mid-November. 
• The Thing About Home by Rhonda McKnight – recommended by Nideria B. at Varina
• The Tusks of Extinction by Ray Nayler – recommended by Felicia S. at Twin Hickory
• The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen – recommended by Kristyn S. at Fairfield
• Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange – recommended by Kelsey C. at Varina
• The Wonder State by Sara Flannery Murphy – recommended by Kristina C. at Library Administration
  • A really compelling mystery that mixes a grounded story about small-town friends growing apart with supernatural elements involving enchanted places and other dimensions. I couldn’t put it down!
• The Woods All Black by Lee Mandelo – recommended by Barbie B. at Tuckahoe
• Yellowface by R. F. Kuang – recommended by Lauren M. at Libbie Mill

ADULT NONFICTION:

• 8 Rules of Love by Jay Shetty – recommended by Gina F. at Gayton
• 50 Pies, 50 States: An Immigrant's Love Letter to the United States Through Pie by Stacie Mei Yan Fong – recommended by Jason T. at Fairfield
  • Fong takes us on a journey through her love of baking and of her adopted home country. As an immigrant, I love pie too, and I love this story.
• 84, Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff – recommended by Kendall H. at Library Administration
• All the Beauty in the World: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley – recommended by Amy C. at Tuckahoe
  • Written by a former New Yorker staff member who left his job and became a guard at the Met for ten years. His behind-the-scenes descriptions of the art, his co-workers, and the underpinnings of the museum are fascinating.

• Another Appalachia: Coming Up Queer and Indian in a Mountain Place by Neema Avashia – recommended by Tracey B. at Fairfield
• A Rome of One's Own: The Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire by Emma Southon – recommended by Savannah T. at North Park
  • A retelling of Roman history that centers on Roman women's lives. Each of the twenty-one chapters offers a glimpse of a diverse array of Roman women, some well-known like Boudica, and some lost to time poets and business owners. 
• Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardnerby Natalie Dykstra – recommended by Fritz D. at Sandston
• Crazy for Cookies, Brownies, and Bars: Super-Fast, Made-from-Scratch Sweets, Treats, and Desserts by Dorothy Kern – recommended by Ray K. at Fairfield
  • I've made multiple recipes from this book and haven't had a miss.
• Dancing After TEN by Vivian Chong – recommended by Laren V. at Libbie Mill
• Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport – recommended by Bethany W. at Twin Hickory
• Disentangling from Emotionally Immature People: Avoid Emotional Traps, Stand Up for Your Self, and Transform Your Relationships as an Adult Child of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson – recommended by Barbra S. at North Park
  • One of the most profoundly helpful mental health books I've ever read. 
• Driving Home Naked: And Other Misadventures of a Country Veterinarian by Dr. Melinda McCall – recommended by Drew C. at Gayton
  • McCall, the leader of a farm animal veterinarian practice in Louisa, Virginia, tells stories from her years of experience working with animals in the rural areas of our state. Her stories of the animals (and humans) she meets can be laugh-out-loud funny, genuinely surprising and/or shocking, and remarkably heartfelt. All Creatures Great and Small meets the landscapes, animals, and personalities of central Virginia.
• Engineering for Cats: Better the Life of Your Pet with 10 Cat-Approved Projects by Mac Delaney – recommended by Hannah T. at Fairfield
  • I love the way Mac Delaney uses humor to explain the science behind these DIY projects.
• Excuse Me While I Disappear: Tales of Midlife Mayhem by Laurie Notaro – recommended by Aparna R. at Tuckahoe
  • A funny and relatable take on life in the middle ages.
• From Here to the Great Unknown: A Memoir by Lisa Marie Presley – recommended by Bunny H. at Twin Hickory and Aimee H. at Glen Allen
• Gods, Wasps, and Stranglers: The Secret History and Redemptive Future of Fig Trees by Mike Shanahan — recommended by Ben O. at Gayton
  • This slim book is perfect for anyone with an interest in natural history. There is enough in it to reward multiple reads but not so much that it is taxing to get through. You'll never eat a fig again without thinking of what you learned in this book.
• I’m Sorry for My Loss: An Urgent Examination of Reproductive Care in America by Rebecca Little and Colleen Long – recommended by Lauren M. at Libbie Mill
• In the Pines: A Lynching, A Lie, A Reckoning by Grace Elizabeth Hale – recommended by Victoria H. at Varina
• John Smith's Chesapeake Voyages, 1607-1609 by Helen Rountree – recommended by Lisa K. at Glen Allen
  • Describes the natural environment of Virginia, the tribes John Smith met and how and where they lived, and the experiences of Smith’s men at the beginning of the 17th century.
• Last Call by Elon Green – recommended by Felicia S. at Twin Hickory
• The Lost Girls by John Glatt – recommended by Genevieve H. at Gayton
• Melania by Melania Trump – recommended by Honor Z. at North Park
• The Mental Load: A Feminist Comic by Emma – recommended by Nideria B. at Varina
• My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me by Caleb Carr – recommended by Gayle W. at Libbie Mill
  • I enjoyed reading about the author’s relationship with not only this cat but all the cats he owned in his life. It's a heart touching story about his close bond with Masha in relationship to both their past lives and how that formed them together.
• My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee – recommended by Beth M. at Library Administration
  • More than a rock star memoir! Famous as the lead singer and bassist for Rush, Lee (born Gershon Eliezer Weinrib) relates his family’s history, including the horrors of the Holocaust and the challenges of assimilation as immigrants. In this honest, humble, and often humorous autobiography, Lee shares the relatable feeling of being an outsider and Rush’s improbable rise to become one of the world’s top rock bands. 
• On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service by Anthony Fauci –recommended by Courtney M. at North Park
• One in a Millennial: On Friendship, Feelings, Fangirls, and Fitting In by Kate Kennedy – recommended by Kristyn S. at Fairfield
• The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus – recommended by Barbie B. at Tuckahoe
• The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women by Kate Moore – recommended by Cammy K. at Varina
• Solito by Javier Zamora – recommended by Alexis F. at Libbie Mill
• Supreme Sirens: Iconic Black Women Who Revolutionized Music by Marcellas Reynolds – recommended by Naila P. at Tuckahoe
  • This book was informative and visually appealing with its glossy images of trailblazing Black women who have pioneered and dominated in the music industry. Readers will learn about talented musical artists spanning across a wide timeline, to embrace the history behind each artist, and to appreciate their contributions to the songs, albums, and music videos in their respective genres.
• Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker – recommended by Kelsey C. at Varina
  • Listening to the audiobook, with contributions from the original cast and comedians who were influenced by it, brought back all the memories of watching the original movie. One of the things that struck me was how Zuckers and Abrahams cast actors known more for their serious roles at the time, and for a few, this film became their comedic breakthrough! 
• Tasting History: Explore the Past Through 4,000 Years of Recipes by Max Miller – recommended by Kareemah H. at Varina
• There's Always This Year by Hanif Abdurraqib – recommended by Rachel P. at Tuckahoe
• The Third Pole: Mystery, Obsession, and Death on Mount Everest by Mark Synnott – recommended by Kathryn K. at Tuckahoe
• Three Shades of Blue: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and the Lost Empire of Cool by James Kaplan – recommended by Alicia A. at Library Administration
  • I really love books about musical history and this is a great story about how jazz became wildly popular in the late 50’s and 60’s and how it evolved.
• To the Gorge: Running, Grief, Resilience & 460 Miles on the Pacific Crest Trail by Emily Halnon – recommended by Logan F. at Gayton
• Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson – recommended by Katie C. at Fairfield
  • If you grew up reading "Go Ask Alice" or "Jay's Journal," I implore you to read this book. So many young people related to these "real" diaries and had parents in a panic trying to fight the "war" on drugs from within their own homes... but at what cost? Don't ask Alice, ask Beatrice.
• Walkable City by Jeff Speck – recommended by Savannah C. at Library Administration
• When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion by Julie Satow – recommended by Tammy A. at Library Administration
  • A fascinating read about three remarkable, and very different, women who led major department stores in the 1930s-1960s. Interspersed are stories of other female players in the retail field, including Maggie Walker and St. Luke’s Emporium in Richmond. This book brought back memories of Thalhimer’s and Miller and Rhoad’s in downtown Richmond.
• The Woman In Me by Britney Spears – recommended by Bridget O. at Gayton